Justification:
At present, the main threats to this flagship species are its use as a drought fodder. In the main, with its swollen, water-storing stem it is well adapted to withstand drought conditions and should therefore be better able than many species to tolerate any drying out of the Archipelago due to climate change. However, in times of severe drought trees are cut-down, pulped and fed to livestock. In some areas (Kilissan) this has resulted in its almost total eradication. Change of habitat is also an important factor in preventing regeneration. Typically, on the plains, seedlings germinate and grow, protected from livestock, in the cover of dense vegetation such as provided by the spiny shrub Lycium sokotranum or by colonies of the succulent shrub Cissus subaphylla. So where there is no Cissus or Lycium there is little, if any, regeneration. Thus, along the southern region of Soqotra and on Samha the recovery of populations of Dendrosicyos after drought is dependant on the presence of colonies of Cissus. Dendrosicyos socotranum is considered vulnerable to extinction due to the decline in quality of its habitat (due to drought) in certain areas and, the level of exploitation of populations already stressed by drought.

Widespread in dry areas on Soqotra; locally common in Croton socotranus shrubland on the plains and locally abundant in succulent shrubland on limestone; less common on igneous rocks; rare on Samha. Altitude of sea-level to 500 m.

Dendrosicyos socotranus is a monotypic, endemic genus, and perhaps the best example of the swollen-trunked bottle-trees for which Soqotra is famous. On Soqotra it is widely distributed in several vegetation types but has a rather fragmented distribution; over large areas there are only isolated trees or small, relict populations, whilst in other ares it is relatively abundant. There are a few trees on the island of Samha, but none on Darsa or Abd al-Kuri.

The whole plant is cut and pulped for livestock fodder. Although current levels of use are sustainable, there is a potential risk of increasing livestock numbers placing populations under severe pressure.